Every day, Tillamook County farmers hauled their cans of milk to their cheese factory. The milk was from the previous night’s milking and that morning’s milking. Farmers belonged to cheese factory cooperatives close to their farms so the delivery didn’t take all day. Once the cans were delivered, it was time to head back to… READ MORE
Male cheesemakers created the cheese, and women packaged it. In this photo from an early 1950s publication, “Home of Tillamook Cheese,” the packaging department employees are working on the newly popular rindless one- and half-pound packages of medium and sharp cheese as well as wedges and snack bars – the products we are familiar with… READ MORE
Reporter Dorothy Neighbors visited the large Tillamook cheese factory in 1958 and wrote about the experience for The Seattle Times. (Credit: The Seattle Times, 11.18.58) READ MORE
Strike! In July 1959, Tillamook County Creamery Association employees were on strike in solidarity with their Teamster members. Farmers and some non-striking workers filled in to keep production and distribution going. Teamsters President Jimmy Hoffa spoke in support and Gov. Mark Hatfield got involved in the negotiations. Grocery store shoppers boycotted the product in 11… READ MORE
This 1893 photo shows two cheesemakers at the Beaver Cheese Factory. Ike Heiner (left) was the cheesemaker; Elizabeth Foland (right) was a rare woman assisting in the factory. According to “The Tillamook Way,” Ike worked at Beaver for 30 years after the cooperative was formed by Merriman Foland, Joe Bixby, Walter West, Al Bunn, William… READ MORE
1968-69 – Tillamook County Creamery Association reorganized as a producer cooperative 1969 – All small cheese factories in Tillamook County were closed for environmental and efficiency reasons; all milk was then processed at the large factory north of Tillamook 1970 – Oregon established a statewide quota system 1987 – Oregon’s statewide quota system ended 1987… READ MORE
Cheese War Timeline Event Date Event Source (See key below.) 2-1967 At its annual membership meeting, Cheese & Dairy officials reported that sales had exceeded $3 million and monthly earnings had increased. Winning awards at the Oregon Dairy Industries contest were cheesemakers Dean Daggett, Ron Jones, Lloyd… READ MORE
Cheese War Timeline Event Date Event Source (See key below.) 2-1968 Cheese & Dairy cheesemakers brought trophies home from the Oregon Dairy Industries annual convention. Fritz Baumgartner, head cheesemaker, won the sweepstakes trophy. Also winning awards were Lloyd Wright, Dean Daggett, Ron Jones, Allan Waldron, and Merton Loucks.… READ MORE
Cheese War Timeline Event Date Event Source (See key below.) 2-20-1966 Annual meetings of competing Tillamook dairy cooperatives were held on the third Saturday in February. Gathering at the Fairview Grange were about 125 members of Cheese and Dairy, which had merged with Red Clover at the… READ MORE
Cheese War Timeline Event Date Event Source (See key below.) 4-12-1965 to 4-16-1965 County Creamery filed a $10 million antitrust suit against Cheese & Dairy, along with a $10 million antitrust suit against Red Clover. Earlier, Cheese & Dairy and Red Clover asked for a combined $8.4 million in their… READ MORE
